Reversible Reactions and Equilibrium

What does it mean if a reaction is reversible?

The products can combine to reform the reactants in the backward reaction/

What is important about the forward and backward reactions?

They can take place at different rates.

What will the rate of reaction be like at the beginning of the reaction?

There will be lots of reactants and little to no products, so forward reaction will be much faster as backward reaction will not yet have begun.

What happens once products have started to be formed?

Backward reaction will speed up and forward reaction will slow down.

What will eventually happen in a reversible reaction?

The rates will even out, and forward and backward reactions will be happening at the same speed.

Concentrations of reactants and products won’t change anymore.

What is equilibrium?

When both reactions are still happening but both cancel each other out. Because they happen at the same rate there is no overall difference in concentrations.

If there is more products, where does the equilibrium lie?

To the right.

If there are more reactants, where would the equilibrium lie?

To the left.

What causes position of equilibrium to change?

The conditions.

What happens if a reaction is heated up?

Equilibrium will shift to favour the endothermic reaction.

What happens if a reaction is cooled?

Equilibrium will move to favour the exothermic reaction.

e.g. if the forward reaction for hydrated copper sulfate - Anhydrous copper sulfate

was heated up, which way would it shift if the forward is endothermic and backward is exothermic?

Would shift to the right as it would favour the endothermic reaction.